


Beautiful

by Silver_Centurion



Category: Transformers Animated (2007)
Genre: Friendship/Love, M/M, Self Confidence Issues, Weight Gain, body image issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-19
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-08-09 19:35:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7814431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silver_Centurion/pseuds/Silver_Centurion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Optimus has been gaining a bit of weight lately, but he hadn't been thinking anything of it until everyone starts to poke fun at him. Leave it to Bulkhead to try and make his Boss Bot feel better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beautiful

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this as a request on tumblr. Can we all just picture a chubby Optimus for a moment? Just let that soak in for a bit. yeah. Damn cute right? That's what I thought XD
> 
> Please enjoy!

Optimus paced the halls as he tried to force himself to feel like recharging. His body was exhausted, but his mind was alert. It wasn’t unusual for him to be restless. A good leader always had plenty to think about. But tonight he didn’t feel like a leader.

A leader wouldn’t be having such petty thoughts.

The scene replayed over and over in his mind like a broken holovid.

Blitzwing tearing up half the city in search of a certain mechanical part—probably for a scheme of some sort—and Optimus coming to intercept him. Nothing usual there. Optimus had been expecting a rumble with the unpredictable triplechanger, but what happened made his finials burn with embarrassment.

Instead of being intimidated or preparing for battle Blitzwing took one look at him and started cackling like a wild animal. He was practically on the ground, unable to hold himself up with the force of his laughter, and when he finally caught his breath and spouted some nonsense in that high pitched screech his black face was so famous for.

Optimus wasn’t familiar with the language Blitzwing’s part of Cybertron used, but curiosity got the better of him when he got home.

_Soft. Round. **Fat.**_

Optimus was horrified at what the Con had been calling him straight to his face.

“Even the ‘Cons think…?” He muttered to himself and subconsciously touched his swollen tummy. It had been a while since he had fought with the Decepticons—they had been quiet as of late—but surely he hadn't gained that much weight since last fighting Blitzwing? Was he really so fat that it was warranted to burst into laughter upon seeing him?

In the end should it even matter? A Cons opinion had never mattered to him before, so why was it affecting him so heavily?

“Mm….Boss Bot?” A sleepy voice came from down the hall, and Optimus started, turned, and gave Bulkhead a sheepish look.

“Sorry Bulkhead…Did I wake you?”

Bulkhead nodded and gave a big yawn as he came out of his room.

“Yeah. Heard you pacing.” _Primus was even his steps louder?_ “You okay?” Bulkhead asked with a good natured head tilt.

Bulkhead was a good mech. Honest, trusting, and loyal to a fault. But in that moment Optimus just wanted to yell at him. When Bulkhead ran into battle none of the ‘Cons ever laughed. Bumblebee never poked fun at Bulkheads expense. Why in was _he_ the butt of everyones joke when Bulkhead got away unscathed? Bulkhead was _twice_ Optimus’ girth and easily four helms taller than him. By that logic everyone shouldn’t even be paying attention to Optimus.

“Bulkhead, am I really that fat?” he blurted before he could stop himself.

Bulkhead blinked, startled, and replied, “What? Boss what would make you ask that? What happened?”

Optimus suddenly felt vulnerable. He didn’t used to be a self-conscious bot. In fact, he had been rather proud of his build back in the academy. But all at once he felt like everyone was out to get him. Like everyone noticed when he gained any more weight. Like everyone was judging him for eating to curb the stress of leadership.

“The ‘Cons are laughing at me Bulkhead! **Laughing.** It’s bad enough that Bumblebee won’t give my ‘thunder thighs’ a rest. Now I have to deal with the enemy no longer taking me seriously! Remember when I fought Blitzwing this morning? We didn’t even fight! H-He just laughed—laughed like I was nothing but a joke,” Optimus’ voice cracked, and he no longer bothered watching his volume. Everyone could wake up for all he cared. That’s what they disserved for making him miserable.

“Boss Bot I—“

“Why do they pick on me, huh?” He blurted suddenly. “What makes me so special? I’m not even _that_ big. You’re **twice** as fat as I am, but they don’t ever say anything to you!”

Optimus’ voice was laced with static, and his optics began to spark from stress. Everything had just built up to the point where it was about to fall over, and he didn’t think he could stop it now. Being thrown into the leadership position, the Decepticon threat, hundreds of millions of human and cybertronian lives resting on his shoulders, and now this. Who knew such a vain reason would be the cable that broke the cyber-camels back?

His frame was suddenly wrapped in warmth, and his optics snapped open, glossy from lubricant build-up. Bulkhead held him closely, cradling Optimus’ face into his soft chassis. He smelled lightly of motor oil and grass.

“Shhh. It’s okay Boss Bot. I gottchya,” Bulkhead rumbled and Optimus broke down.

Here he was, in the arms of a mech half his age, crying into his chassis like a new build, but it just felt so good he couldn’t bear to care. Bulkhead was warm, his metal was pleasantly firm but yielding, and his field was just as soft as his personality. It enveloped Optimus in an understanding comfort, which made Optimus feel even worse. He had just insulted this mech and acted like a spoilt youngling, but he was being forgiven. Optimus could feel it in his field. Somehow there were no hard feelings, and he couldn’t fathom that.

Optimus’ sniffles gradually dwindled, but he was reluctant to leave the comfort of Bulkheads large arms.

Instead he wrapped his arms around Bulkheads large middle and muttered, “I’m sorry for calling you fat.”

Bulkheads chuckle was deep and rumbling when Optimus was this close.

“Don’t worry Boss Bot. It takes more than that to hurt my feelings. Besides it’s true isn’t it?”

Optimus blinked the sparks out of his optics and looked Bulkhead in the optics.

“No Bulk it’s—“

“Don’t try to lie,” He interrupted with a sigh. “Look at me! I’m fat. I’m not chubby. I’m full on fat; no doubt about it. But you know what? That’s okay! I’ve always been this way and I don’t see any problem with it as long as I can keep kicking Decepticon cans! Plus, even if I wanted to look different it’s impossible now. The fossil fuels here on Earth make it near impossible to lose weight. Everyone’s getting a bit chubbier because of it, not just you. I mean, have you _seen_ Ratchet lately?”

Bulkhead had continued to hold Optimus, but he quickly released him—perhaps the hug had lasted too long and had become awkward on Bulkheads end. His field suddenly felt unsure.

The green mech gave Optimus a shy look and said, “Besides Boss Bot, I don’t know what they're laughing at. You look…you look great!”

Optimus shook his head. Great? That wasn’t nearly the word he would use to describe himself in this state.

“It’s okay Bulk. You don’t have to make me feel better.”

“No! I’m not trying to make you feel better. Uh, I mean, I wanna make you feel better, but I’m not…not trying ta,” Bulkhead stuttered and started to nervously pull on his own servos.

Bulkhead took a deep vent and tried again. He was a little steadier this time.

“Boss I think you look great. More than great even. You…I haven’t been able to stop staring at you for cycles!” Bulkhead flushed heavily with energon, and the big mech suddenly looked so meek and tiny.

The green mech continued to pull at his servos as he looked at the floor and continued, “I know I’m not your type, and I know you're not mine. You’re, like, way outta my league! But…I wanna let you know that I think that you're beautiful. You always…always have been no matter your size. But I really like you with more plating.”

Optimus didn’t know what to say. Bulkhead never had seemed interested in him before, but now that he thought about it Bulkhead likely kept his mouth shut because he was ‘out of his league’. Optimus never really thought himself to be out of anyones league and briefly wondered if he ever put off any vibes that would have made Bulkhead think like that.

“Bulkhead I…thank you,” he said genuinely. Funny, he had always pictured this happening—a mech under his charge developing some sort of feelings for him—and yet he was surprised how un-offended he felt. In fact he was rather flattered.

Bulkhead beamed—his big blue optics rounding and making him look so young—and said, “Well…you disserve it Boss Bot. Do uh…do you feel better?”

Optimus’ finials perked, and he gave Bulkhead a small smile, “Yeah Bulk. I feel a lot better.”

“Good! I’ll just, uh, head back to berth then?” he said and hastily turned.

Optimus watched him go for a few moments and frowned to himself. How could he just let an admission like that go? Bulkhead was so genuine that Optimus knew that wasn’t just for his benefit. If Bulkhead really liked him, and was kind enough to tell him so even when he was looking at his worst, what did that make Optimus if he just pretended like nothing had happened?

“Hey Bulkhead!” he called and said mech paused in his doorway to look at him. “Would, um—I know it’s late and all—but would you um, like to join me in the main room? I have some energon treats that are getting stale, and I could use some help finishing them.”

Bulkhead didn’t even pause to consider. He gave Optimus a big smile and came rushing back with an enthusiastic, “Sure! I’d love to Boss Bot.”

Optimus gave a sheepish smile and said, “You can call me Optimus…if you want.”

“Heh. Okay….Optimus,” Bulkhead said and lightly bumped shoulders with the smaller mech as they went down the hall together.


End file.
